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Rosneft, ExxonMobil sign declaration on careful development of RF’s Arctic shelf

The declaration was signed in Irving during a meeting between Rosneft President Igor Sechin and ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer Rex W. Tillerson

MOSCOW, December 7 (Itar-Tass) —— Rosneft and ExxonMobil have signed a declaration on the environmental and biological diversity protection in the process of exploration and development of the hydrocarbons in the Russian zone of the Arctic continental shelf, the Russian company said in a relevant document on Friday.

The declaration was signed in Irving (U.S. State of Texas) during a meeting between Rosneft President Igor Sechin and ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer Rex W. Tillerson earlier on the day.

The document envisages a set of steps aimed at the protection of the Arctic ecological system in the process of hydrocarbons exploration and production by Rosneft and its partners.

While commenting on the declaration, Sechin stated, “Rosneft and ExxonMobil have maintained successful cooperation within many years. I’m grateful to Mr. Tillerson for the support of this initiative.”

Tillerson, in turn, stated that his company does its best to reduce possible pressure on the environment in all regions of its activity through the permanent improvement of technologies and working procedures. According to Tillerson, his company supports Rosneft’s initiative and will develop interaction with its representatives and other companies engaged in the sphere in order to guarantee the environmental protection in Russia’s Arctic zone.

The two sides agreed to form a joint group to consider a matter on the creation of a coordinating centre, which may embrace representatives of the Russian Space Agency, the Transport Ministry and the Emergencies Ministry.

The above-mentioned centre is expected to coordinate activities aimed at the preservation of the biological diversity, including those envisaged by the principles and rules of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the standards of the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA).

On November 23, 2012, a declaration similar to the aforesaid was signed between Rosneft and Norway’s Statoil.

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